Rotary pumps



April 19, 1966 w. L. FISHER 3,246,605

ROTARY PUMPS Filed March 16, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ha. 1. F '32' INVENTOR. H//L/QM L. 1282/52 GEA/T Aprl 19, 1966 w. L. FISHER 3,2466605 ROTARY PUMPS Filed March 16, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lzms.

INVENTOR. H///.L/M L. Fax/5,42

April 19, 1966 w, FlsHER 3,246,605

ROTARY PUMPS Filed March 16, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent O 3,246,605 ROTARY PUMPS William L. Fisher, 14511 S. Hawthorne Blvd., Lawndale, Calif. Filed Mar. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 352,106 1 Claim. (Cl. 103-104) The invention herein described pertains to rotary pumps, and more particul'arly to rotary pumps embodying rotors having a plurality of blades.

One of the objects of this invention is to produce a pump of high efliciency.

Another object is to produce a rotary pump having a liquid inlet region surrounding the aXis of the rotor.

A further object is to provide a pump having a rotor with a partition intermediate its two sides and at right angles to the aXis of the rotor, and with a plurality of lblades on each side of the lpartition for directing water toward 'an outlet from diametrically opposite portions of the space t-raversed by the blades of the rotor.

An additional object is to produce a pump having at `least four regions within the space traversed by said blades in which the blades will be effective for drawing water into the pump around the axis of the rotor and impelling it toward an outlet port.

Another object is to provide an efiicient design for the blades of a rota-ry pump of the type described.

An additional object is to provide means for tying the blades together and giving them added strength and rigidity.

Still another object is to provide a rotary pump that will have an antechamber or reservoir of water surrounding the puinp's inlets for efficiently priming the pump.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of different em'bodiments thereof. For this Purpose, there are shown a plurality of forms in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. These different forms will now be described in detail, il'lustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claim.

In the drawings:

lFIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a pump embodying my invention;

lFIG. 2 is a right end view of the pump shown in FIG. 1;

PIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken substantial'ly on line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section taken substantially on line 5-5 of PIG. 3;

`FIG. 6 is an isometric view of one form o-f rotor suitable for use in the embodiments of the invention herein described;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a rotor simil-ar to that shown in FIG. 6, but including a reinforcing ring;

PIG. 8 is a broken-away section of a rotor having a resilient fin for traversing the border areas of the chambers within the pump;

FIG. 9 is a top or plan view of another embodiment of the invention having reservoirs or antechambers adjacent the inlet port; and

PIG. 10 is a view taken substantially on line 10- 10 of FIG. 9.

The embodiments herein described may perhaps be more easily understood by referring |first to the embodiment illustrated in the first six figures. This embodirnent comprises a rotor 11 having a plurality of blades 12, 13, 14 and 15 on one side of a central partitioning disc 16 ICC and a second group of blades 17, 18, 19 and 20 equally spaced on the opposite side of the central disc. It will be observed that the blades on either side of the disc are -angularly offset or staggered with respect to the blades on the opposite side. This arrangement is presently preferred when the number of blades is yrelatively few, as it distribute-s the load more evenly throughout the cycle. When the rotor has a total of eight blades, as shown in the figures, the staggered construction produces what might be called eight pulses per revolution, whereas there .would be only four pulses if the four blades on one side of the central disc were each directly opposite from the corres'pond'ing blades on the other side of the disc. With a relatively large number of blades, however, it is less important to stagger them, as sixteen blades divided into eight pa-irs riveted together in side-byside relationship through the central disc will produce eight pulses per revolution and provide a sufliciently smooth fiow to make it unnecessary to complicate the construction by staggering the `sixteen blades in an attempt to make the fiow even smoother.

In the presently preferred embodiment of my invention, one edge of each of the 'blades 12, 13, 14 and 15 is attached to the central disc 16 with one end of each blade appropriately secured to the shaft 21.

As best seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, each blade has a first side 22 that lies in an individual plane parallel to the aXis of the shaft 21 and ex'tending at right angles -from the partitioning disc 16. The side 22 of each blade tapers from a relatively narrow outer end to a relatively wide inner end where the blade is joined to theishaft 21.

As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the sides 22 of the various blades in this embodiment do not extend radially from the shaft 21, but are substant'ial'ly tangent to the 'periphery of the shaft. Thus, since the four blades on either side of the central disc 16 are equally spaced, the walls 2'2 of blades 12 and 14 lie in parallel planes; and of course the sides 22 of blades 13 and 15 likewise lie in planes that are mutually parallel.

Each of the blades has another side integrally connected to the side 22 and extending therefro-m at an angle therewith that is not only not les-s than 'a right angle but that is preferably an obtuse angle, as shown by the angle 23 in FIGS. 4 and 5. These outer sides of the various blades are designated generally by the numerals 24. It will be noted that the opposite edges of the sides 24 converge as they approach the shaft and that the angle o-f convergence abruptly changes at about the mid portion of the sides 24, where they begin to taper more sharply to the very narrow end adjoining the shaft.

Although the sides 22 of the blades shown in the fig-ures do not extend radially from the shaft 21, this Variation is not essential. Many of the advantages of the invention Will still be had if the blades are disposed at any angle from zero degree with respect to a radial line to about forty degrees. Such an increased angle will of course increase the spacing between the plane of the side 22 of each blade and the aXis of rotation of the rotor. However, the planes of the sides 22 of diametrically opposite discs should still be kept parallel by keeping the angles the same for all the blades, as balance would otherwise be lost.

The opposite sides 32 and 33 of the pump each has a central opening 25 therein through which the shaft 21 extends. As seen in FIG. 4, conduits 25 and 27 communicate with the opposite openings 25 in the right and left -sides respectively of the housing 36. The conduits 26 and 27 are so formed that the side walls 28 and 29 of their end portions are substantially parallel as are also their extreme outer walls 30 and 31, which are likewise parallel to the opposite side walls 32 and 33 of the main housing 36. The outer walls 30 and 31 of the conduits 26 and 27, respectively, carry suitable bearing members 34 and 35 for journaling the rotor shaft 21. Appropriate seals are of course provided for the shaft, but these are not shown for the reason that they form no part per se of the present invention. The shaft is so longitudinally positioned that the center disc 16 of the rotor is disposed intermediate the opposite sides 32 and 33 of the housing with the blades of the rotor located symmetrically within the housing, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 4. It will be observed that this construction leaves the central area 25 in the walls 32 and 33 completely open around the shaft to permit the uninterrupted passage of fiuid from the input conduits 26 and 27 into the housing proper.

The housing has at least one outlet 37 located peripherally intermediate the two central areas 25 that constitute inlet ports.

The housing has a transverse wall 38 connecting the opposite side walls 32 and 33. One end of the side wall 38 adjoins the lower edge 39 of the outlet port. Extending from the edge 39 of the outlet port, the wall 38 has a first section that curves around a portion of the periphery of the rotor in close proximity thereto and a second section 40 that may be roughly defined as extending generally outward at an angle from the first section to join a third section 41 substantially paralleling the periphery of the rotor, but spaced therefrom. The third section 41 preferably smoothly joins a straight section 42 that constitutes the top of the outiet port or duct 37, the said fourth section being substantially tangent to the third section.

The housing contains a partition 43 that exteneds closely around a portion of the periphery of the rotor from an end 44 that is located diametrically opposite from the end 39 of the transverse Wall 38 where the transverse wall adjoins the outlet port 37. A first section of the wall 43 is substantially arcuate in cross-section from the end 44 to a location 45 where it joins a second section 46 that is substantially straight and tangent to the arcuate section 43. The end section 46 of the partition extends into the Outlet port 37, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The pump is of course driven from one or other of the ends of the shaft 21 of the rotor, its direction of rotation being such that the free edges of the sides 24 of the blades rotate toward the outlet port. These edges may appropriately be called leading edges.

As the rotor revolves, liquid from the conduits 26 and 27 is drawn into the housing through the ports 25 in the direction of the arrows 47 and 48. Centrifugal force of course throws the fiuid radially, and it is caught or '*scooped by the wide portions of the blades where the liquid above a plane extending through the end portions 44 and 39 of the partition 43 and wall 38, respectively, is thrown directly by the blades into the outlet port 37. The portion of the fluid below the plane just defined is thrown into the open space between the end 44 of partition 43 and the portions 40 and 41 of the outer wall 38. The portion or section 40 of this outer wall is preferably streamlined so that the fiuid will be directed with as little restriction as possible into the region or Chamber between the partition 43 and the arcuate portion 41 of the outer wall paralleling the arcuate portion of the partition. The fiuid from this curved chamber of course proceeds outwardly through the outlet port between the end portion 46 of the partition and the upper wall 42 of the outlet port.

Reference has previously been made to the fact that the portions 24 of the blades are disposed at an angle 23 with respect -to their sides 22. This configuration not only assists the total blade structure in 'scooping the fiuid into the region between the portion 24 of the blade and the disc 16 ahead of the back portion 22 of the blade, but also provides a means whereby the blade may be adjusted within limits to conform to the particular space available between the disc and the outer side walls of the pump.

If the blades are fabricated from sheet stock, the effective edges of the blade may also be made to conform to the boundaries of the regions in which they move by providing each blade with a fiexible fin or web 49 appropriately secured to the side 22 of the blade. This fin may be made from rubber or other resilient material secured to the side 22 by rivets 50 or other appropriate means. The edge 51 of the fin may be made to conform to the inside surfaces of the wall 38 and the partition 43, and the edge 52 may be appropriately shaped to conform to the adjacent side wall of the housing.

FIG. 7 illustrates an arrangement in which a flat ring 53 is integrally secured to the leading edges of the walls 24 in order to tie the blades together and give them greater rigidity. The ring 53 is of course parallel to the central partitioning disc 16. When the ring 53 is used, any fin or web of the general type illustrated in FIG. 8 must of course be shaped to avoid interference with the ring. This may be done by so Shaping the edge 52 that it will lie much more closely to the side 24 of the blade, perhaps paralleling it; or the fin may be so formed that it will not extend axially beyond the side 24.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate an embodiment having an antechamber 54 on each of the opposite sides of the housing, which said sides are here designated by the numerals 32 and 33 followed by the prime sign. In this embodiment, the main input conduit 55 forks into the two side conduit portions 26' and 27', which correspond respectively to the conduits 26 and 27 of FIG. 4. The conduits 26' and 27', however, open into the opposite antechambers or reservoirs 54 on opposite sides of the housing 36'. This construction provides a large volume of |water around the inlet ports 25 which assist materially in priming the pump.

The embodiments hereinbefore described could logi- 'cally be called double rotor pumps, but it will of course be apparent that the invention can be embodied in a pump that could With equal logic be referred to as a single rotor pump. In this case, the pump would embrace the components that lie on one side only of the line 3-3 of FIG. 2. Such a pump would embody the disc 16 and all the parts of the pump lying on one side of this disc. The wall 33 of the embodiment of FIG. 4 would of course be positioned approximately halfway across the housing as it is shown in FIG. 4, and it would lie just to one side of the disc 16. Such an embodiment would of course have a single inlet port.

Still other modifications 'may be made in the structure as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the various figures, and parts may be altered and transposed or replaced by other parts performing the same functions, or the same function plus additional functions. Such altera- 'i tions may of course be made without departing from the broad spirit of the invention as succinctly set forth in the appended claim.

The inventor claims:

A rotor for a rotary pump having an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet port being in a side wall of its housing, said rotor comprising: a rotatable driving shaft; a disc surrounding said shaft and lying in a plane transverse to the rotational aXis of the shaft; a plurality of blades spaced around said shaft, each of said blades having a first side lying in a plane parallel to the axis of said shaft but spaced from said axis, and a second side joining said first side at an angle therewith that is not less than a right angle, the edges of the first sides that are opposite from the second side being secured to said disc; and a resilient 'wiper is so attached to each of the blades that it extends beyond the outer end of its first side and beyond the edge thereof that adjoins the second side to substantially close the gap that might otherwise exist between the blade and the adjacent walls of the housing.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Bee 103-103 Yackee 230-134 Robinson 230-134 Foster 230-127 Upson 230-134 Ingersoll 103-103 2,849,118 8/1958 Ashton 230-47 3,124,200 3/1964 Wilson 230-134 3,127,094 3/1964 Smith 230-134 3,155,046 11/1964 Vaughan 103-111 F OREIGN PATENTS 323,704 10/ 1954 Switzerland.

SAMUEL LEVINE, Primary Examner.

Wolfe 230-134.45 10 HENRY F. RADUAZO, Examiner. 

